commentr/StutterJuly 25, 2016

Content

Hey there, welcome to the subreddit. Firstly, we've all been through this stage in our stuttering paths, I and many others have come out the other side (still stuttering) with a love of life and everything it entails. I can only give advice based on what worked for me and others. 1. You could try speech therapy. You can find information all over the internet for speech therapy, sometimes it can be pricey depending on where you live, but can help tremendously. http://www.westutter.org/ 2. You could try an intensive speech therapy course. This is what changed my life completely. I attended the McGuire programme, as have a good potion of people on here. It teaches you a technique to control your stutter, and countless other ways that will help to improve your life. http://www.mcguireprogramme.com/en 3. This is a truth that I had to face, it wasn't easy. You will most likely always have a stutter. It can't be cured, and once you hit 16/17/18 there's a very very very low chance of it "going away". Especially if your stutter is severe. Instead, you can learn ways to control it, and or concentrate on other parts of your life. Hit the gym, be confident in yourself. Meditation & Mindfulness which has helped me sooooo much with the psychological side of stuttering. If you're confident in other parts of your life/person, your stutter will become less of an issue to you. If you're constantly concentrating on your stutter, and how bad it is your stutter will only disprove. Trust me, I'll never say it's easy, but every person who has become happy with themselves, although having a stutter, has had to face this truth. 4. Challenging yourself. The more you challenge yourself, regardless if you stutter or not, will make you feel more confident. Not holding yourself back because of your stutter will actually improve fluency. As there is some correlation between Stuttering and Confidence, at least in my eyes. Start with small things, using the phone to make short calls, or asking for directions. 5. Practice speaking. Read out loud every day. Try to slow down, project your voice and stay calm. I know you've probably heard this from other people before, but it does work. Breath deeply before you speak and release all the air you have left in your lungs once you have spoken. Hopefully all of this helps. Don't give up. You have so much to show the world, and how long it takes or how you sound when you're speaking shouldn't come in the way of you becoming your best self. You deserve happiness, we all do.

Themes

Therapy & ProfessionalEmotional ExperienceCoping & AdvocacyAnticipation & Avoidance

Subthemes

Seeking TherapyTherapy ExperiencesHope & MotivationMindfulness & BreathingVoluntary Stuttering & ExposurePreparation & Rehearsal